Rail

Safety glitch stops China’s high-speed rail

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chinese rail authorities told the AFP they plan to stop some high-speed rail services due to scheduling concerns, just as Caixin Century Magazine published claims that a significant safety flaw had been discovered on a bullet train made by a state-owned firm. This news comes on the heels of the July 23 collision of two bullet trains killed at least 40 people and left nearly 200 injured.

The magazine reported that workers found a 0.28-inch-long, 2.4-millimetre-tall crack last month on the axle of a train made by China CNR Corp — a claim the firm promptly denied. For the full story, click here.

Economic development within one-half mile of the system has been stimulated by ridership that has exceeded original projections. Valley Metro began compiling development activity since construction started in 2005 as part of an economic development database.

The new bike car contains 14 racks that will provide more room to maneuver bicycles on and off the train. A set of seats were removed from the lower level of the vehicle to make room for the bike racks.